Hotaru
by Cactus Bob
Summary: A motley crew tries to make their way in the cold expanse of the 'verse. Atem, the captain. Yugi, the pilot. Tea, the mechanic. Tristan and Joey, the helping hands. Will they be able to get enough cash to pay the gas bill?
1. Welcome to Skydragon

Yu-Gi-Oh! (c) Kazuki Takahashi  
Firefly (c) Joss Whedon

In this fic, the Yu-Gi-Oh gang lives in the universe of Firefly, trying to get by in the 'verse. This is not a crossover.

* * *

_New Nippon, Persephone_

_2135_

Atem reclined on a law chair in the middle of the street. The road was dusty, and the air was thick with smog. The richest people rode on horses or rickshaws; the poor walked or rode bikes. This was the symbol of the outer rim. Anyone unfortunate to live in this sector of the 'verse was doomed to technology that had become outdated three hundred years ago.

Really, Atem would have been surprised if he found a single satisfactory pilot in this dump. Half of the pedestrians gaped at his ship. Most of them didn't even speak English. Atem raised an indecipherable newspaper to his eyes with a sigh.

"Excuse me? Captain Atem, sir?" someone asked. Atem peeked over the top of his newspaper. A boy was standing there in dusty, brown clothing. He looked very nervous. "I'm here to apply for a job as a pilot, sir. I'm Yugi Mutou."

"Excellent," Atem said. "Come along. I want to see if you can pilot Skydragon."

Yugi tentatively walked into the giant ship. "C-type vessel, Firefly class. This is an old model," Yugi muttered.

"You're right, she is. She's certainly not very flashy, but she's reliable," Atem said. He led Yugi to the bridge. Yugi sat down in the pilot's chair and felt the controls. "Fly to Augusta and back." Yugi nodded. Atem sat down in the co-pilot chair and crossed his legs, looking Yugi up and down.

"Tell me the ETA," Atem instructed.

"About four and a half hours, captain, to Augusta and back again," Yugi replied. Atem smiled. Yugi was spot on, and he didn't even need to do any calculations.

"What planets are in the Uranian cluster?" Atem asked.

"Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Ophelia, Desdemona, Titania, Oberon, and Juliet," Yugi replied promptly. Another flawless answer.

Yugi lifted Skydragon smoothly off the ground and broke atmosphere without a hitch. Yugi's astronomy was good, his English was excellent, and he had decent flying skills. But there was another thing a captain wanted in a pilot. If Atem hired Yugi, they would be living together in the ship for many years. Atem needed to match sure that he wouldn't be tempted to rip Yugi's eyes out during the trip.

"So, Yugi, tell me about yourself," Atem said. They had more than four hours for conversation alone. Atem had ensured that. "Have you lived in Persephone for your entire life?"

"Yes, captain," Yugi replied. "I was born and raised in New Nippon."

"How did you get into flying?" Atem asked.

Yugi smiled. "In the orphanage where I lived, there was an old Phoenix in our backyard. It used to belong to our caretaker when he was younger and into flying. He used to take us out for rides on it. One night, I snuck out and flew his Phoenix all the way to Miranda. When I got back, I thought that the caretaker was going to kill me, but he said that I had natural talent and paid for me to go to flight school."

"Would you mind giving me your résumé?" Atem asked. Yugi broke orbit and switched Skydragon to auto-pilot. Then he pulled a sheet of old, brownish paper out of his backpack and handed it to Atem. Atem looked it over.

Yugi was only fifteen years old. Atem frowned. Although Yugi had received incredible recommendations from all of his teachers, Yugi had almost no experience. In fact, according to this piece of paper, Yugi had never even flown a Firefly before.

Yugi's C-type flight license was based almost purely on Yugi's amazing ability to adapt quickly to any vessel. Atem watched as Yugi switched back to manual and guided Skydragon effortlessly through space. He looked like a pro. Yugi must have been an extraordinary pilot.

"Should you decide to work for me," Atem said, "you will receive twelve percent of all of the ship's earnings on a case-by-case basis. You'll have your own bunk and free access to the mess hall, but I can't guarantee that we'll always have food." Yugi chuckled. "I will expect you to tell me if there's anything wrong with the navigation systems or the auto-pilot, or anything of that sort."

"Your left turbine's slow," Yugi said immediately. "It makes the ship kind of drag on that side."

Atem raised his eyebrows. "Thank you," he said. "I'll fix that as soon as I get a mechanic."

They fell into silence. "You're not exactly the talkative type, are you?" Atem asked.

Yugi flinched. "I-I'm sorry, captain, but I wasn't sure what was appropriate to say to a captain," Yugi explained. "I've… never been a part of an actual crew before."

"That's quite alright. Neither have I," Atem said lightly. "Were you to become part of the crew, you would be free to say anything as long as it is not disrespectful and it does not question my authority as captain."

"Right," Yugi replied. "So… why did you decide to become a captain?"

"An appropriate question," Atem responded. "I lived on Osiris, an outer rim planet, as you well know. I… had a few things to escape, and space was the best place to do that. As to why I decided to become a captain specifically, I always saw myself as more of a leader than a follower."

Yugi stared out at the stars with adoration in his eyes. "I didn't expect to become a pilot, but I love to fly," he said "And I love the fact that everyone in the 'verse depends on each other."

"When you're out in the black, isolated in space, your crew becomes your family," Atem stated. "And we are all obligated to depend on each other as well."

Yugi smiled and steered Skydragon gently. "Would you like to work for me, Yugi?" Atem asked.

Yugi quickly switched to auto-pilot and spun around. "Are you really going to hire me, captain?" he asked excitedly. "I'd love to be a part of Skydragon's crew!"

"Wonderful. Then you're hired," Atem said. He extended his hand, and Yugi shook it happily.

* * *

"Alright, everyone," Atem said, entering the cargo bay. "You have five minutes to tell me everything that's wrong. Go."

"Skydragon's auto-pilot is malfunctioning," Yugi said.

"The compression catalyzer's on the fritz, captain," Tea answered.

"Serenity died!" Joey said. With tears in his eyes, he held out an enormous rifle. "She meant so much to me…"

"Your five minutes are up," Atem said suddenly. He closed his eyes and sighed. He looked exhausted. "Those are all the complaints I can handle at the moment. I'll see what I can do."

He turned and walked straight out of the cargo bay. Yugi watched him leave concernedly. "Yugi, it's your turn," Tea said. Yugi remembered the Duel Monsters cards in his hand.

"Oh, right," Yugi replied absently. He put his hand on his deck. "I forfeit. I have to go." He gathered his cards and took off toward the captain's quarters. He pressed the page button. "Captain?"

Atem opened up his door. "How can I help you, Yugi?" he asked.

"Can I come in, captain?" Yugi asked. Atem held open the door for him, and Yugi walked inside. "Atem, I know that it's hard to get by sometimes, but you shouldn't worry so much about it."

"Yugi, as a captain, it is my duty to take care of my crew," Atem replied. "Auto-pilot and compression catalyzers are vital parts of the ship, and I believe that Joey will have an emotional breakdown without Serenity. We just need to find some work, and quickly."

"You know that there's always work in transporting water from Ariel to the outer rim planets," Yugi offered. "I heard that Osiris is willing to pay a lot of money for a couple of kiloliters." Atem was silent. "Why do you always get like that when I bring up Osiris?" Yugi asked. "It's like you're trying to avoid it or something."

"Osiris is a wonderful plan," Atem said quickly. Yugi frowned. "I'll schedule a meeting with the Atlantean Water Export Company. We'll see what we can work out."

"Okay," Yugi said uncertainly. "But we can always take it to another outer rim planet if you're—"

"Osiris is fine," Atem said sharply. "It is a desert planet, and the people living there need the water very much. Besides, we could use the cash."

Yugi nodded and excused himself from Atem's room. He wandered into the mess hall, where Tea was preparing dinner and Tristan was preening over his arm muscles. "Am I going to get a compression catalyzer anytime soon?" Tea asked.

"Atem's applying for a job in water transport," Yugi said. "Have you guys noticed that he gets sort of weird whenever we bring up Osiris?"

"You'd have to be blind and deaf not to notice," Tristan replied. "I wonder what happened."

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.

"Come on, Yugi, something had to have happened to the captain back on Osiris," Tea said. She laughed. "Maybe he was married or something."

"I think that he was pro-Unification, and the browncoats tried to kill him," Tristan joked. "What about you, Yugi? What do you think?"

Yugi thought about it. "The captain told me once that he was escaping from something," he said pensively. "But he never told me what he was escaping from. I think that something bad happened to him when he was a kid, and he doesn't ever want to go back to that."


	2. The Water Planet

"Well, Mr. Gardner, it is a privilege to have you on my ship," Atem said courteously. Harold Gardner was one of the most respected starship mechanics in all Titania. He was a good forty years old, too. Regardless of his credentials, Atem was reluctant to hire him. Someone so experienced and well-trained could easily get too big for his britches.

"It's a privilege to be here, captain," Harold replied respectfully. "I hope you don't mind I took my daughter along. She loves ships as much as I do." Harold's daughter, Tea, peeked around from behind her father's back and waved.

"It's not a problem at all. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Tea," Atem said. "If you don't mind, Mr. Gardner, I'd like to speak with you in private." Harold nodded, and Atem led him into the hallway. "Mr. Gardner, you are a father. Are you comfortable with leaving your daughter for enormous spans of time to work for me?" Atem asked.

"Tea's fifteen. She can handle herself," Harold answered stolidly.

"There is another matter," Atem continued. "You are forty-one; I am twenty-three. My pilot, Yugi, is only fifteen. I anticipate that many other members of my crew will be young as well. Will you be able to work in an environment where you're surrounded by young adults and teenagers? More importantly, will you be willing to submit to my authority when I'm younger than you are?"

"Absolutely, captain," Harold said. "You've earned your status as a captain, no matter how old you are. I'm just here to keep Skydragon in tip-top shape."

Atem nodded. That was a good answer. Tea still concerned him, but Atem wouldn't refuse to hire Harold just because of that. Now, a test would prove those credentials of Harold's. If he passed the test, then he was the best man for the job, regardless of his relationship with his family.

"Call your daughter, and let's visit the engine room," Atem offered. Harold uncouthly bellowed for Tea to follow them, and they headed to the large engine room. Skydragon was grounded now, so nothing was operating. But her second compression chamber had broken, and Yugi was having difficulties getting Skydragon into the air. If Harold was a true mechanic, he could be able to spot the error almost instantaneously.

Harold whistled when he entered the room. "Wow. A 24-930 model. I haven't seen one of these since I was as old as you, captain."

"Skydragon may be old, but she's in perfect working order," Atem lied. "Unless you'd care to disagree."

Harold raised his eyebrows at the challenge. He walked over and slid on his back underneath the engine. His swollen belly bumped against the hydrogen fuel tank. Tea skipped beside him. Almost immediately, she got a pained expression on her face and bit her lip. Atem noticed this. "Is there something that you wish to say, Ms. Tea?" Atem asked.

"Well, captain, it's just that Skydragon's not in perfect working order," Tea said softly. "One of the compression chambers is broken, you see? Without that pressure, you wouldn't be able to get fusion to power the secondary engine. I'm surprised that you can even take off."

Harold quickly got up off the floor and looked where Tea was looking. He frowned. "I hadn't noticed that," he said sheepishly.

"Ms. Tea," Atem said. "Would you like to be my mechanic?"

Tea turned pink. "Really, captain?" She looked at her father and grimaced at the expression of anger on his face. "I'd… well, I'd love to."

"Excellent. You're hired," Atem said warmly. He turned to Harold, who had now turned purple. "You've trained your daughter very well. She'll fit in on Skydragon."

Tea ran to get her things, and Harold stomped off angrily. When Tea returned, Atem gave her the grand tour. She fixed the compression chamber in a few minutes, moved into her bunk, and then wandered into the mess hall for six o'clock dinner.

She sat down in the hard dining chair uncertainly. She had never actually considered how strange it would be to live on a starship before. She was accompanied by two men out in lonely space, and the ship was dirty and metallic. It was a far stretch from the comfortable, plushy, woman-friendly home that she had just come from. This would be a very different life, and Tea wondered what she had gotten herself into.

"Hi!" a cheerful voice greeted. A boy walked out of the kitchen, mixing up some mysterious food. "I'm Yugi," he said, putting down the bowl and offering his hand to Tea. She shook it happily. "I'm the pilot. You're Tea, the new mechanic, right?"

"Yeah," Tea replied. "It's really nice to meet you." Yugi picked up the bowl again and started stirring. "You… look a lot like the captain," Tea said hesitantly. "Are you his little brother or something?"

Yugi laughed. "We're not related. Everybody thinks we are because we have the same hair and the same eye color and the same, well, height." Tea smiled. Both Yugi and Atem were a little short. Tea was taller than both of them.

"Are you the ship cook, too?' Tea asked.

"I only cook because Atem—I mean, the captain—can't," Yugi replied. "But I'm not very good at it either." He stuck the bowl under Tea's nose. "You see this? This is what the captain and I call 'sludge.' It's basically just some processed protein and vitamins and stuff. I'm trying to get it to taste a little better, but…"

"Let me try it," Tea offered bravely. Yugi handed her a spoon, and she tried a small bite of it. She nearly vomited.

"See?" Yugi said. He sighed. "We should try to get some real food around here…"

* * *

"Prepare for landing, everybody!" Yugi said over the intercom. "We're entering atmo' in a few seconds." Atem strode into the bridge and held the bar on the ceiling. He watched as Skydragon shot through atmosphere at high speeds. Flames licked the reinforced view screen as they sped towards Ariel's surface.

Yugi masterfully guided Skydragon toward Atlantis Skyport. They touched down lightly, and Atem smiled. Although Yugi was only seventeen, he was one of the best C-type pilots in the 'verse.

They crew piled off of the ship. Tristan drove the Rhino, a small transport vehicle, out of the cargo bay, and Joey and Atem climbed into the passenger seats. "We'll be back with the water soon," Atem said. "Until we return, feel free to explore. Atlantis is a beautiful city."

Tristan revved up the engine and sped off toward the water export warehouses. "Well, where should we go?" Tea asked. "You're the one who knows all about the worlds. What does Atlantis have to offer?"

"I've heard Atlantis Falls is the best spot in the whole city," Yugi said. He led Tea through the streets and alleyways. Atlantis was a warm, wet, tropical place. The locals were tan and scantily clad. Lush foliage grew alongside the numerous rivers and rivulets that snaked throughout the city.

Finally, Yugi stopped at the edge of a great pool. The water shined like so much liquid diamond, and a large sheet of water crashed into a basin at the bottom of a sheer cliff. "Wow," Tea breathed. "This place is beautiful."

Yugi laughed and jumped into the water. The water was so clear that Tea could see him as soon as the bubbles dissipated. "Come on, Tea!" Yugi yelled. "The water feels great!"

Tea tossed off her jacket and jumped in after him. They giggled and splashed each other insouciantly. For a few minutes, they felt like kids again. But the feeling ended quickly. They both knew that they should get back to the ship.

"What happened ta you guys?" Joey exclaimed. Yugi and Tea smiled sheepishly. They were both dripping wet, and their combat boots were caked with dirt.

"I trust that you didn't get into any trouble," Atem said, grinning knowingly.

"Yes, captain," Tea and Yugi replied simultaneously. They unloaded the water onto the cargo bay.

Yugi returned to the bridge and started Skydragon up. "We're taking off, guys," he said over the intercom. He lifted Skydragon off the ground and broke Ariel's orbit after a few minutes.

Atem walked into the room. "Is everything in working order? Will we be able to get to Osiris with auto-pilot malfunctioning?" he asked. Yugi nodded.

"You know, captain, there are a lot of rumors on the ship about why you don't want to go back to Osiris," Yugi said conversationally. "Do you want to clear it up for us?"

Atem sighed. "I had been wondering when one of you would work up the courage to ask me," he said. "I have… an enemy on Osiris. A very powerful enemy."

"The only powerful person on Osiris is Yami Bakura," Yugi stated. He gasped. "You used to know Bakura?"

"We called ourselves friends, until he knocked me unconscious and sold me to slave traders when I was seven," Atem said. His voice still had an edge of bitterness to it. "Since that day, I became a captain and he became the ruler of Osiris's northern hemisphere."

"So you haven't been avoiding Osiris—you've been avoiding Bakura!" Yugi realized. "But I'm sure that he's gotten over that… by now…" He stopped. Atem was staring levelly at him with a look that clearly said "not a chance."

"We'll stay on our guard and keep a low profile," Atem said. "Who knows what Bakura will do when he realizes that I've returned to Osiris?"


	3. A Beacon

"Mr. Wheeler, do you know why you're here?' Atem asked. Joseph Wheeler sat across from him, challenging him with his eyes.

"I'm here 'cause ya want ta hire me," Joey replied. "Ya need somebody ta protect ya and your cargo, and I'm da best guy for da job."

"You are the best person for the job; or rather, you would be if it weren't for all of the warnings that I see on your criminal record," Atem said coolly. "Charon is a lawless place, but it still has laws. And you've broken quite a few of those laws, I see." He picked up a list of all of Joey's offenses. "Robbery… assault… resisting arrest... This is just to name a few."

"I had reasons for doin' all those things, important reasons," Joey answered defensively. "I had a sista ta take care of. She counted on me, and I had ta do what I had ta do."

"Skydragon is an honest ship—you can't just go around bending the rules whenever it benefits you," Atem said sternly. "We all are obligated to take care of each other, but we must do that legally. If you are going to work here, I want no disobedience, no lawbreaking, and no trying to sabotage me and take over the ship. I want your word."

"What makes ya think I'll keep my promise?" Joey asked.

"As far as that is concerned, I am choosing to trust you," Atem said. Joey surveyed him curiously, and Atem realized that Joey had probably never met anyone with such moral convictions. Joey's assorted past made him a formidable ally, but Atem needed to be assured that he would follow orders.

Joey nodded brusquely. "Ya got my word. I'm a clean man from here on out."

"Excellent," Atem said, smiling. "Now, your résumé tells me that you've been fired from other ships because of insubordination."

"What?" Joey asked incredulously. "My résumé doesn't say that!"

"It's true, isn't it?" Atem asked. Joey fell silent, and Atem continued. "Tell me, Mr. Wheeler, why have you felt such a pressing need to contradict the orders of your superiors?"

"'Cause their orders didn't make sense," Joey answered shortly. Atem raised his eyebrows.

"Do you believe that you have more sense than the captain who was trained for seven years to do his job?" Atem asked casually, leaning back in his chair and making a steeple with his fingers.

"Well, not always, but I did then," Joey stated simply. "I mean, some captains don't have a clue about how their decisions are gonna affect their crew. Da moneybags are so worried about fillin' their pocketbooks that they forget all about da people that work for them. I'm not gonna put up wit' that from anybody, captain or not."

Atem considered this. "If I were to hire you," he said finally, "you would be free to offer your judgment in any circumstances. But in the end, my authority will win. I assure you, I make all my decisions for the benefit of the entire crew. I'm paid just as much as you are; I eat what you eat. As far as privilege is concerned, we are completely equal. So do not account my choices to selfish whims. I am not that kind of captain."

"Maybe I should ask your crew about that," Joey said defiantly.

Atem shrugged. "Maybe you should."

Joey sat stiffly and silently in his chair for several seconds. "How much am I gonna get paid?" Joey asked finally.

"Twelve percent, on a case-by-case basis," Atem answered. "Complete with your own bunk and free access to the mess hall."

Joey's eyes immediately lit up. "Free access ta da mess hall?" he repeated. He seemed to fall in love with the job at that instant, and his eyes sparkled with longing. "I'll take da job. I mean, if you'll hire me. Captain," he added for honor's sake.

"I'd love to have you, Joseph," Atem said. He extended his hand, and Joey shook it. It was the beginning of an unbreakable bond, and Joey vowed to himself that he would never break his promise.

* * *

Yugi rubbed his sore eyes and leaned back in his chair. Because auto-pilot was broken, Yugi had to fly everywhere manually. Ariel to Osiris was normally a three-day trip, but Yugi could only be at the helm ten hours a day and remain sane. So those three days had turned into a week and a half.

He stopped Skydragon in the middle of space, programmed her to buzz his room if there were any proximity alerts or beacons, and stumbled off to bed. He had barely put on his old, threadbare pajamas when a blaring noise sounded on his intercom.

Without even bothering to change, he willed himself out of his cozy bunk and back to the bridge. Skydragon was receiving a beacon from a nearby ship. "Hello, this is Skydragon," Yugi said sleepily. "Please identify yourselves and state your business."

A cheerful, tan face popped up on screen. "Greetings, starship Skydragon!" the man said. "This is starship Tairyou. I have a few spare supplies, and I was wondering if you would be willing to trade with me!" The man seemed boisterous and kind. Yugi smiled at him. "Please forgive my manners. I am Mako Tsunami, captain of this vessel."

"My name is Yugi Mutou," Yugi replied. "And I'm Skydragon's pilot. Give me a minute to ask my captain what he would like to say to your offer, and I'll beacon back to you."

Yugi shut off communications and called Atem on the intercom. Atem came into the room in just a few minutes, fully dressed. Yugi honestly had no idea when Atem slept. It seemed like he was awake, alert, and presentable at all hours. That was something that only captains and prime ministers could manage, and Yugi respected Atem for it.

"Captain Tsunami," Atem greeted respectfully. "I am Atem, captain of the Firefly-class starship Skydragon. I would love to have an opportunity to trade with you, as long as you don't mind if I take a few precautions. The black is a dangerous place, and I really can't know if you plan an honest trade or not. As a captain yourself, I am very sure you understand."

"I understand completely," Mako replied genially. "I will be taking a few 'precautions' of my own, if you don't mind."

"That is fine," Atem said. "But I should warn you. Our little ship doesn't have much to offer. We've found ourselves more in need of supplies than in surplus of them."

"Never fear! I would be honored to merely see the inside of a Firefly. I have not laid eyes upon one of those since I was a tadpole," Mako joked. "Will you allow us to dock your vessel?"

"Please," Atem said. They shut off communications again. "Yugi, wake the others and tell them what's going on. I want Joey to keep a close eye on the people that examine our goods, and I want Tristan to accompany you and Tea while you examine their goods."

Atem turned to Yugi. "Get anything useful that we can trade for, especially auto-pilot equipment and Tea's compression catalyzer. Though Joey does seem to be mourning the loss of Serenity very dearly, we need to keep Skydragon in the air."

They opened the doors of the cargo bay and greeted Mako's crew. Mako was accompanied by a woman in a Chinese dress, a boy with green hair and strange glasses, and another boy with shaggy hair and a hat.

"Welcome to Skydragon, Captain Tsunami," Atem greeted happily. He and Mako shook hands. "Let me introduce you to my crew. This is Yugi, my pilot, Tea, my mechanic, and Joey and Tristan, my… helping hands."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all!" Mako said boisterously. "This is my crew. Vivian is my pilot, and Weevil is my mechanic. Rex is my own helping hand."

Joey raised his eyebrows. "That midget is Mako's helping hand?" he muttered under his breath. Tristan nodded incredulously.

"I see that you have a large supply of water on board," Mako observed.

"I'm afraid that that is not for sale. We are in the middle of a business transaction, and that water is due for Osiris," Atem answered. "As I earlier said, I have little to offer."

"Well, we'll see that for ourselves," Mako said gamely. "Rex, Weevil, inspect the cargo bay. And, if Captain Atem would allow it, maybe you would be able to inspect some other rooms as well."

"That would be fine, if one of my men will accompany them at all times," Atem said. "A simple precaution, you understand."

"And I hope that you understand if I personally oversee your crew members," Mako replied. Atem nodded, and Yugi, Tea, and Mako walked into Mako's ship.

"This is a C-type, Mariner class, right?" Yugi asked. Yugi had never been a fan of Mariners. They were too bulky for his taste. But C-types were only transport vessels, and that comforted Yugi. They wouldn't have to worry about Mako threatening them with photon turrets.

"You have a good eye, young Yugi," Mako commented. "Is there anything that you're looking for in particular?"

"Do you have a compression catalyzer or an auto-pilot that's compatible with our Firefly?" Tea asked. "We'd been interested in any spare parts, actually."

"Hm. I believe that I picked up a few Firefly-compatible parts in a recent salvage mission," Mako replied pensively. "Vivian, watch them. I'll go see what I can find in our second cargo bay. You two can have a look around here."

"Hi, Yugi," Vivian said immediately. "I heard that you're the youngest person to get a C-type license in the history of the outer rim."

Yugi blushed. "I guess so," he said, rubbing the back of his head shyly. "I'm just lucky that Captain Atem hired me at such a young age."

"I know what it's like to not be trusted because you're young," Vivian mused.

Tea fumed. "Because you're like, what, thirty? Thirty-five?"

Vivian glared at her. "I'm twenty-six, thank you very much. And I'm sure you're maybe twelve or thirteen, right?"

"I'm seventeen!" Tea yelled angrily. The two women crossed their arms and turned their backs on each other. Yugi inched away and began sifting through the ship parts in the nearby bins. He hoped that he would find something useful in here. He hoped even more that Vivian and Tea wouldn't kill each other.


	4. Friendly Trade

"Well, Tristan, your résumé checks out fine. It's rare to find a person from Charon who hasn't indulged in a few immoral business transactions," Atem said.

"I'd like to ask some questions about the job first, captain," Tristan said. "First of all, what's Skydragon all about? I know that Fireflies are transport vessels, but could you be a little more specific?"

"We are fairly versatile," Atem said. "We'll transport pretty much anything if it pays. I believe that we transported a herd of cattle once." Tristan chuckled. "But we try to stay in the Alliance's good graces, which means that we avoid illegal contraband."

"Can I meet the rest of your crew?" Tristan asked. "I'd like to see who I'd be living with for the next couple of years."

Atem smiled. This boy was savvy. "Of course. Actually, I think that they're just sitting down to dinner. Would you care to join us?"

Tristan nodded, and Atem and Tristan entered the mess hall together. Three people were bustling around a table full of food. One of them, a blonde, had piled his plate up so high it looked like it was about to topple over. The girl was eating little—Tristan suspected that she was trying to watch her weight. The other boy looked very much like the captain, and he was eating his food with chopsticks.

"Everyone, this is Tristan," Atem introduced. The three people turned around and stared. "He wants to see how much you will annoy him before he decides to take the job." Atem motioned for Tristan to have a seat, and Tristan plopped down next to Joey. Atem took a seat at the head of the small table.

"Hi, Tristan. I'm Tea," the weight-watching girl said warmly. "This is Yugi." She pointed to the boy on her left. "And that's Joey," she said, pointing to the blonde.

Yugi waved, and Joey hmphed through his mouthful of food. "So, who made the meal? It… looks great," Tristan lied.

"I made it," Tea chirped happily. "I'm glad you like it."

"And…. Yugi, you're Captain Atem's second-in-command?" Tristan asked.

Yugi looked up from his food and raised his eyebrows. "How'd you know?" he asked.

"Yugi, you are sitting to my right," Atem whispered softly.

"But… didn't Tea sit to your right during lunch?" Yugi wondered, popping a dumpling into his mouth.

"Traditionally, whoever sits to the captain's right is the second-in-command," Atem said.

"Oh. Okay," Yugi said. He looked confused, but he just went back to eating.

"Our ship is anything but traditional," Atem said amusedly. "There isn't any use for that sort of thing out in the black. We take care of each other, and that's all that matters." The rest of the crew nodded heartily.

Joey took a gigantic swallow and looked on at his empty plate with sorrow. "So, Tristan," he said, "I hear ya come from Charon. I grew up there too. I used ta get in a lotta trouble when I lived there. I bet da captain gave ya da whole spiel about this bein' an honest ship, huh?"

"So you were one of the bandits, weren't you?" Tristan asked. "Do you know how hard it was for my grandfather to build a successful business when bandits were robbing it every other day?"

Joey recoiled. "Dude, I did what I had ta do ta get by. I don't got that many skills, and I had ta take care o' my little sister. Ya get that, right?"

Tristan sulked. "Well, at least you cleaned up your act," he said finally. He bravely took a bite of the meal. With effort, he managed to swallow. Was all ship food this bad? The others seemed to enjoy it. Maybe it was an acquired taste.

They finished their meal pleasantly and Yugi disappeared behind the counter to wash dishes. "Uh, Captain Atem?" Tristan asked. "It would be great to be a part of your crew."

Atem smiled. "It would be great to have you."

* * *

Joey, Tristan, and Atem watched closely as Weevil and Rex examined their cargo. They saw Weevil and Rex's faces grow more and more disappointed. Atem wasn't unhappy. He had warned them.

"Is there any way that I can see your engine room?" Weevil asked. "It would be an honor to see the inner workings of a Firefly."

"I don't see why it would be a problem," Atem mused. "Joey, take Weevil to the engine room and show him around." Joey nodded and led Weevil into the heart of Skydragon.

Weevil's eyes flashed with intrigue when he saw Skydragon's engine. "I haven't seen one of these since I was in trade school," Weevil breathed. "Could I get just one close look at it?"

"Sure," Joey said cheerfully. "Just be careful. Tea's gonna kill me if you mess up her engine room."

"That's very kind of you," Weevil replied. Joey furrowed his eyebrows. Had Weevil's voice grown darker, or was it just his imagination? Weevil walked over to one of Skydragon's compression chamber and looked at it lovingly. In a few moments, he backed up.

"You done in here?" Joey asked. Weevil nodded, and they returned to the cargo bay.

"How did you like it?" Atem asked.

"It was wonderful!" Weevil exclaimed.

"Have you or Rex found anything of interest yet?" Atem asked.

Rex shook his head. "There's not much down here except water and a couple of weight machines."

"Those aren't for sale!" Joey and Tristan yelled simultaneously.

Yugi and Tea entered the cargo bay. Tea looked furious, and Yugi looked like he was happy to be back on his own ship again. "No auto-pilot or compression catalyzer," Yugi admitted sadly.

"It's alright. We wouldn't have had anything to trade them for anyway," Atem replied. He turned to Mako. "It was a pleasure doing business with you. Perhaps when we next meet, we will have more to offer each other."

"It was a pleasure doing business with you also, my good friend," Mako said warmly. They shook hands again, and Mako and his crew returned to their own ship.

Atem patted Yugi on the shoulder. "Get some sleep, Yugi. We can set off for Osiris again after a good night's rest."

Yugi loved meeting new people. Sometimes a ship needed fresh blood to keep it alive. But no matter how thrilling a trade could be, Yugi hoped that he wouldn't get another beacon as he collapsed into his bed and fell asleep in an instant.

* * *

Yugi wandered out into the mess hall for breakfast. Breakfast usually consisted of a protein bar, as did lunch. Dinner was the only cooked meal on Skydragon. He grabbed his brick-like meal and trudged off to the bridge. It was the start of another twelve-hour day.

Usually, Yugi loved flying more than he loved doing anything else. But ideal flying consisted of nothing more than a few course corrections as Skydragon did all of the real work, or even doing complicated evasive maneuvers while being chased by enemy ships. Sitting behind the wheel all day with his eyes on the stars and his foot on the gas was tiresome.

Soon, Yugi hoped, they would be able to afford a new auto-pilot. He powered up Skydragon's engines and prepared to take off, but the ship suddenly lurched, shuddered, and powered down with a melancholy purr.

"What happened?" Yugi exclaimed. Skydragon had never done that to him before. It couldn't have been Yugi's piloting. Was something wrong with Skydragon's internal parts? Yugi turned on the intercom and called Tea. "Tea, I think something's wrong with Skydragon's engine," he said.

"I'll check it out, Yugi," Tea replied. She got herself out of bed and headed down to the engine room. Almost as soon as she peeked under the engine, she realized that something was wrong. "Somebody's messed with Skydragon's engine…" she realized. "Stopped her dead in her tracks."

She called Yugi. "Did something happen when you tried to start Skydragon up?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered. "What's…?" He trailed off, and Tea heard another voice over the intercom.

"Greetings, Yugi," a man said. Tea knew that voice belonged to Mako. "I see that you're having some trouble powering up your ship."

"Mako! You were the one who did this!" Yugi said accusingly. Mako chuckled.

"You're helpless, Yugi," Mako said. "A fish in a barrel. Surrender your ship to us without resistance, and we'll drop you off on the nearest planet. Should you try to foil our plans…" Mako brought a large laser rifle into sight. "We have other things in store for you."


	5. Disquiet

"Get everyone down to the cargo bay," Mako commanded. "Be sure to leave your weapons in your bunks. We'll be boarding you shortly." His face disappeared from the small screen as he shut off communications.

Yugi quickly paged Atem, and Atem related the news to the rest of the crew. "Come on, Atem, we can take 'em!" Joey yelled angrily. "What are we up against? Two midgets and a girl?"

"Follow their orders," Atem said shortly. "Don't resist until I say so. We need to find out what Weevil did to Skydragon when he visited the engine room, if we can." Atem opened the bridge door and raised his hands as Mako and Rex entered. Both of them carried large and menacing laser rifles. Atem studied their weapons closely and stifled a smirk. Those weapons were part of a defective series, and they were known for exploding if they were subjected to moderate pressure.

"Get your hands in the air, where we can see them!" Rex bellowed. Joey almost chuckled as he placed his hands defiantly behind his head. Rex growled angrily. "I said hands in the air, nimrod!"

"Tell me, Captain Mako, how many times have you done this before?" Atem asked coolly. Yugi glanced at Atem. How could he and Joey be so calm? Skydragon was being boarded. They were being held prisoner. They were about to lose their ship. But Joey was goofing around, and Atem looked as though it were just another day in the black. Did they have something going on between them?

Mako chuckled softly. "I've made my living doing this. When I was a young boy, my father was a raider just like me. He trained me to take over his trade, but he didn't get a chance to finish. Our ship was attacked by our rivals, and my father was taken prisoner. I never saw him again, but I believe that he's still out there somewhere."

"Do you believe that you're honoring your father by taking innocent crews hostage, Mako?" Atem asked. "Do you think that you're respecting his memory by perpetuating his evil?"

"Be silent!" Mako yelled. "My father was a brave and courageous man. He took ships away from crews who weren't worthy. He sold them to people who would take care of their vessel with their life. It is an honorable trade."

"It is petty thievery, and you know it," Atem said. "Mako, you are better than this. You can honor your father in other ways. You can provide ships to the worthy in other ways."

"Do you understand what you are asking me?" Mako demanded. "You are asking me to forsake everything I've worked so hard for. You are asking me to give up a profession that keeps my crew well-fed and paid. And for what reason? To keep my conscience pure or to put your ship back into your hands?"

"I am not claiming that I'm saying this strictly for you. I'm saying this for all our sakes," Atem replied. "Imagine, for a moment, that an Alliance patrol found us out here."

"There are no Alliance patrols in the outer rim."

"Hypothetically, of course," Atem continued. "What do you think they would do? Would they pat you on the back and say 'well done'? Hardly. They'd arrest you and your crew and take you back to Phobos to be imprisoned for at least twenty years."

"We've managed to escape Alliance before," Mako said. Rex began to look impatient. "And we'll escape them again."

"How old were you when your father's ship was attacked, Mako?" Atem asked.

"I was seven," Mako said.

"How old are you now?"

"I am twenty-five."

"That event, then, was eighteen years ago," Atem said softly. "Don't you think the details could have blurred a little?"

"What are you trying to say?" Mako spat. He was beginning to look impatient also.

"What if it wasn't rivals that attacked your ship? What if it was Alliance instead?" Atem asked. Mako faltered. Atem could see Mako's eyes glaze over at he searched his past for some reassurance. Atem watched the disappointment as Mako didn't find that reassurance. "You are in a dangerous profession, Mako. One day, you might have a son. How would you feel if you put him in the same position as you were in when you found yourself alone?"

Mako's hand gripped his rifle tightly. "Do you really think that this is going to work?" he asked.

Atem looked at him sadly. "No." Mako's weapon suddenly detonated, blowing shrapnel and flames into Mako's face. Joey rushed forward in the confusion and maneuvered the other rifle out of Rex's grip.

"So, Rex," Joey said. "Wanna tell us what Weevil did ta Skydragon?"

Rex shook violently. He turned paper white, and Joey thought he was going to wet his pants. "I-I don't know!" Rex stammered. "I don't know anything about ships, honest!"

Atem nodded to Tea, and she took off to the engine room to figure out the problem. Joey punched Rex in the jaw, and Rex collapsed onto the ground. "Get them back on their ship. As soon as we can fly, we're getting out of here," Atem commanded. As Joey and Tristan dragged the burned Mako and the knocked-out Rex off Skydragon, Yugi looked at Atem. There was deep pity in the captain's eyes. But his face was hard, and he turned on his heel and left the cargo bay.

Yugi hurried back to the bridge so that he could be ready to take off at any time. He felt shaky and disquieted. No one had actually boarded Skydragon before. Yugi had subconsciously considered Skydragon to be an impregnable, invincible flying fortress. He had made his home here on the basis that it would never be disturbed. Now he had been proven very wrong. He realized how vulnerable the crew was, and he realized how tied he was to Skydragon. If Yugi couldn't fly, if he couldn't be a part of this crew, Yugi didn't know what he would do.

Atem walked into the bridge and sat down in the co-pilot seat. Yugi was reminded of the day when they first met. Skydragon had seemed strange and foreign then. Atem had appeared unusual and alien. How much things had changed.

"It's hard, isn't it?" Atem asked. He seemed to read Yugi's mind. "You make this ship your home, and it feels safe. But it doesn't feel safe anymore."

"Okay, try it now, Yugi," Tea said over the intercom. Yugi started Skydragon up and waited. There was no lurch, no dying purr. They were ready to go, and Yugi set off to Osiris quickly.

"This was going to happen. This is always going to happen," Atem continued. "You will always fool yourself into thinking that someplace is safe, but it never is. There is no safe place, not in the entire 'verse."

"Why does it have to be that way?" Yugi asked softly.

"Human beings and their greed and selfishness have made it that way," Atem replied. "It is a sad thing, but it is true. We will always search for someplace safe, but we will never find it."

"Has this ever happened to you before, Atem?" Yugi asked.

Atem paused. "In another way, some time ago," he answered finally. Yugi understood what he meant. Atem and Bakura had called themselves friends. Bakura had betrayed that friendship. The comfort and safety of their bond had been broken, never to be regained. Yugi felt deeply for Atem. That must have hurt very much.

"I'm not going to leave Skydragon," Yugi stated. "As long as she's here, so am I."

Atem smiled. "That's good. I don't think there's another pilot like you out there." His words were shallow, but Yugi knew that Atem understood Yugi's full meaning. As long as there was a sky above their heads, as long as there was a ship to guide them through the stars, Yugi would always be there for his captain and best friend.

"What port should I land in, Atem?" Yugi asked. "Bakura rules the northern hemisphere, so it makes sense that we should land somewhere on the southern hemisphere."

"Land on Muskara, near the pole," Atem instructed. "I want to be as far from Bakura as possible. Who knows how far his reach has spread by now."

"We could always go somewhere else," Yugi said. "There are plenty of outer rim planets that could use water. We don't have to go to Osiris."

"Osiris will pay the most, and we need all the money we can get our hands on," Atem answered. He gazed at Yugi appreciatively. "I have dealt with my demons, and I've put my past behind me. I am going to go to Osiris, conduct my business, and then leave quickly. Who knows? Bakura could bear me no ill will at all, and everything could go just fine."


	6. The King of Osiris

They landed at three o'clock in the morning, by Muskara time. Skydragon's crew was wide awake, so they puttered around the ship until a reasonable hour. "Uh… two plums," Yugi said hesitantly. He glanced guiltily at the circular cards in his hand.

"Yugi, you totally suck at this game," Tristan said. "Everybody at this table knows that you don't have two plums. Three strawberries," he stated confidently.

"Five pears," Tea said. A wide grin spread over her face, and everyone folded. Tea showed them her cards. She hadn't been lying. "Wow, two whole weeks of cooking that I don't have to do. This is so freeing," she boasted mercilessly.

"Yug', I'll take your two weeks if you don't want to do it," Tristan offered.

Yugi raised his eyebrows. "Really? Why?" Yugi had never been a good liar, so he always lost at Cornucopia. He had been loaded with weeks' worth of extra chores because he had foolishly agreed to play that game with the others.

"I'd rather cook than eat what you make, man," Tristan said, grinning. Yugi fumed.

"Hey! Atem never complained about my cooking!" Yugi retorted.

"No, but he hired me, didn't he?" Tea said. Tea and Tristan laughed, and Yugi sat down on the couch, pouting. Joey walked into the mess hall from his workout. His shirt was stained, and his neck and forehead were glistening with sweat.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" he asked. Tea grimaced and held her nose.

"Take a shower!" she said sharply. Joey chuckled dismissively and began to raid the refrigerator. Tristan shuffled the Cornucopia cards for another round with Tea. Yugi continued his work on a ten-thousand-piece puzzle.

They entertained themselves for a few more hours, and then the sun began to rise. People started to bustle in the Muskara bazaar, and the crew began hauling their water onto the Rhino. Tea sat outside by the water with a "for sale" sign. It was chilly because Muskara was so close to the pole, but the suns were very bright, and Tea regretted that she didn't have sunglasses or an umbrella.

Dozens of kiloliters were sold within a few minutes. As she stuffed hundred-dollars into her bosom, she began to dream of advanced engine parts that wouldn't break down for decades. Hours passed, and the boys kept putting out kiloliters, but demand remained enormous. By lunchtime, the crew had earned a small fortune.

As Tea took a break, Atem stashed the money in a safe box and stashed the safe box in a hidden cranny in the cargo bay. "It looks like we'll be livin' large!" Joey exclaimed. "I can finally get a new rifle."

"What are you going to name her?" Tea asked.

Joey blinked at her. "Serenity, o' course." Tea smiled and shook her head. Every time he got a new favorite weapon, he named it Serenity. No crew member knew why he held the name in such high regard.

"Starship Skydragon, you are under orders by King Bakura to stand down," an artificially magnified voice bellowed suddenly. "He requests your presences immediately." Atem face whitened.

"Does Bakura really have jurisdiction here, so far from the northern hemisphere?" Atem asked incredulously.

"What should we do?" Tea whispered. "Should we try and get out of here before they catch us?"

"I'm not going to try to outrun a fleet of spaceships!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Yugi's right. This is a transport vessel. We're slow and we have no weapons. We should stand down," Atem stated. "I'll deal with Bakura."

They exited the ship with their hands held high. A shipful of soldiers surrounded them and forced them into a small passenger ship. "Why does Bakura want to see us?" Atem asked. The soldiers said nothing. They flew for about thirty minutes before the ship landed and the soldiers forced them outside.

They walked up a long stone pathway. There was an enormous sand-colored palace in the background. Yugi looked at Atem. Atem's eyes were narrowed, and Yugi could almost hear his mental gears turning. Apparently he was already formulating a plot to get them out of this situation.

The soldiers pushed them into a great court. Bakura was sitting on a throne. His shoulders and head were weighted down with gold. He looked up at them and grinned. "Well, what do we have here? My old friend Atem," he said. He got up, and his jewelry jangled.

"It's good to see you as well, Bakura. Or, should I say, Your Majesty," Atem said. He smiled, and his eyes flashed mockingly at Bakura. "Why the soldiers? It would seem as though we were criminals."

"It would seem as though you were," Bakura agreed. "Tell me, why would anyone return to a planet where the king had once sold that person into slavery?"

"A simple business arrangement," Atem replied coolly. "I had water to sell and a ship to fix. Osiris was the best place to do so."

Bakura chuckled softly. "You were sadly mistaken. It may well have been a simple business arrangement, _captain_, but you should have kept your business off my planet. You see, you have broken one of my laws, and I have only two punishments. Ruthless torture for a week, or sudden, painless death."

"What law have I broken?" Atem demanded.

"No privately owned vessel is permitted to buy or sell on Osiris without written permission from the royal court," Bakura said. A sick grin spread over his face. "So what will it be? I give everyone the ability to choose. A week of agony, or a quick death. Be careful what you decide, Atem. Your entire crew will suffer the same fate."

"Bakura, this is insanity!" Atem said sharply. "Torture or death for the simplest of crimes?"

"It keeps my people honest, I've found," Bakura replied lightly.

Atem frowned deeply. He looked at the faces of his crew, and they looked back at him with fear in their eyes. Torture or death? That was the question. Would they face the pain, or would they end the journey in cowardice? "I don't like these choices," Atem said finally. He looked up at Bakura. "I'd like to pick option C."

"Which option is that?" Bakura asked smugly. Atem punched Bakura in the face, and Bakura collapsed unconscious onto the ground. His jewelry tinkled as it hit the floor. Soldiers surrounded them with laser guns and began to fire, but Tristan touched his belt buckle lightly. A glowing shield protected the crew, and the lasers were reflected away from them.

The shield flickered as the soldiers reloaded, but the crew had already dashed out of the palace and hijacked the passenger ship outside. "Yugi, do you know how to fly this thing?" Tea asked.

"No!" Yugi replied frantically as he powered up the ship and steered it off the ground quickly. He set it to its maximum speed and headed straight to Muskara.

Atem collapsed onto the bench in the back of the ship. His nerves were fried, and he breathed heavily. Since he was a boy, he had been gifted with a cool head in tough situations. Adrenaline granted him logic. When the adrenaline waned, however, Atem's composure began to diminish. The anxiousness caught up with his stomach, and worry attacked him mercilessly.

Usually Atem retreated to his own cabin after things like this happened. Then he was able to have as much or as little of a nervous breakdown as he wanted. But he was in front of his crew. He was a captain. He needed to appear able, calm, awake, and alert at all times. He couldn't let his crew see him weak in any way. So he stuffed his feelings down, and his face grew stern again.

"Nice thinking, guys," Tea said. She looked as though she was coming down from an adrenaline-high as well. She looked tired and frazzled. "I didn't think that we would be able to get out of that one."

"Thanks for the photon shield, Tea," Tristan said. He looked down at his belt buckle and smiled. Tea had invented the mechanism a few months ago. The shield only worked with laser weapons, but it had proved to be invaluable nonetheless.

Joey looked fine. He was calmly picking dirt out of his fingernails. He must have been used to this style of life. Tristan suddenly had a lot of nervous energy. He began to pace with his hands stuffed into his pockets.

Yugi didn't have an opportunity to let his guard down. His adrenaline was still in full blast. He switched the view screen back and forth so that he could see if anyone was following him. He shot through the skies faster than a bullet, and his heart pounded in his chest.

They were back in Muskara in a short fifteen minutes because Yugi had flown so quickly. The crew piled onto Skydragon, and they broke orbit in a few minutes. "Well, that didn't go so bad," Joey said pensively. "I mean, we still got lots 'o cash, and nobody got tortured."

"Time to go shopping?" Tea asked excitedly. Atem nodded amusedly, and Tea hopped up and down for joy. She loved a good shopping spree.


	7. The Captain Wears Pajamas

"Hello, my new auto-pilot," Yugi said to the machine. "My name is Yugi."

The auto-pilot made a beeping noise and replied, "Hello, Yugi. How can I help you?" Yugi smiled widely. He had been waiting for a voice-recognition auto-pilot for years. Now that he had finally gotten one, he was itching to program it.

Using a standard Alliance keyboard, Yugi plugged all of Skydragon's specifications into the machine. This would allow the auto-pilot to function at its maximum potential. Most people didn't go through the trouble to fine-tune their auto-pilots like this, but Yugi loved it. He felt as though he was shaping a sculpture of clay. Every press of every finger personalized it, making it more and more beautiful.

Tea was in the engine room, installing the new compression catalyzer. Joey was incessantly polishing his new Serenity. Tristan had dedicated his twelve percent to a box of fresh strawberries. He had generously given each one of his crewmates one of the exotic red fruits. Yugi remembered the fresh, sweet-and-sour taste in his mouth. The flavor was so rich it made his mouth salivate painfully. He had only eaten fresh fruit a handful of times in his short life.

In an act that surprised everyone, Atem spent his cut on colorful paint. Yugi suspected that he was painting the mess hall right now, but it was something that Yugi would have to see to believe. Yugi finished the final touches on his new auto-pilot and got up to find Atem putting a clean coat of white paint on the mess hall walls.

"Hello, Yugi," Atem greeted. Yugi tried hard not to gape. Although Skydragon had no uniform, Atem usually stuck to something like a uniform. Almost every day he could be seen wearing navy blue pants and jacket with a black shirt underneath. Now he was wearing a black tank top and white pants that seemed loose and comfortable. "Did you finish programming your auto-pilot already?" he asked. Yugi nodded dumbly. "Care to give me a hand?"

"Sure thing," Yugi replied. Yugi took up a brush and started on the other end of the room. "Atem?" Yugi asked suddenly. "Are… are those your pajamas?"

Atem laughed openly. "I bet you're not used to seeing your captain like this," Atem said. "I'm not in my day clothes all of the time, Yugi, regardless of what it might seem like. Yes, these are my pajamas."

Yugi remembered his own pajamas and how ratty they were. Atem's black shirt was so black, and his white pants were so white. They looked new and fresh, just like the paint. Those were captain's pajamas, Yugi thought. "I like them," Yugi said, grinning. Atem chuckled.

* * *

About thirty minutes later, Joey, Tristan, and Tea walked into the mess hall and gasped at the makeover. The walls were bright with new, shiny paint. "What happened in here?" Tristan exclaimed. "Did Yugi's white protein chowder explode or something?"

"I think this is the captain's paint…" Tea breathed. She gazed at Atem's pajamas and her eyes widened to the size of Cornucopia cards. Atem looked very amused.

"Who wants to help with the decoration?" Atem asked. The white paint, which had already dried, was bright and new, but it was blank. Atem popped open containers of rich red and green paint, and he showed off a few delicate paintbrushes. "We have five columns and five crew members. Each one of you can personalize your own."

"Cool!" Joey said. He grabbed a cupful of red paint began smearing it haphazardly on his pillar. Yugi assumed that it was supposed to look like flames. Tea took a cupful of both red and green paint and began to paint delicate, trailing flowers on her column. Yugi put childish handprints on his column, and Tristan did abstract swirls. Atem painted red hieroglyphics in neat lines. Yugi wondered what it said.

"So, does anybody have any cool stories to share while we paint?" Tea asked.

"Do you remember our job in New Nippon, Yugi?" Atem asked. Yugi nodded. It had been a few weeks before Atem hired Tea. They were spinning in space with their slow left turbine, but they needed money for gas and food before they could even consider paying a mechanic.

* * *

"Yugi," Atem said softly. Yugi turned away from the controls and faced Atem. The captain didn't usually act this grave. Atem was quiet, Yugi had learned, but not somber.

"What is it, captain?" Yugi asked. "Is something wrong?"

"We have a job," Atem answered. Yugi was confused. That was excellent news. Why was Atem acting this way? "I understand that you grew up in Jinkei Orphanage, in New Nippon." Yugi nodded. "Our job is for that very institution."

Yugi frowned. What would the orphanage need with a transport vessel? "Are you alright with taking this mission?" Atem asked. "We can always find another job if you're uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine," Yugi said hastily. "I'll set a course for New Nippon now." Atem nodded and left the bridge, and Yugi programmed the auto-pilot to take them to Persephone. Curiosity overwhelmed him. Was the caretaker still working there? Had any of his friends been adopted? Was the old Phoenix still out in the backyard? And what would the orphanage be using Skydragon's services for?

They arrived in New Nippon in a few hours. Yugi almost ran off the ship. He was simultaneously anxious and nervous to see his old home again. What had happened to people he used to know?

Yugi turned the corner and gazed at the decrepit building. It seemed as though it had been frozen in time. The Phoenix was still there. The peeling paint was still there. The broken window was still there.

He walked up to the orphanage and went inside. There was a slowly rotating fan on the ceiling. Young children played with blocks and cards in the corner. Yugi knew that they were going to have to go to a lesson in a few minutes.

"Sweetie-pie!" a high-pitched voice called out. A short blonde girl ran up and threw herself shamelessly onto Yugi, who staggered under her weight. "I've missed you so much since you went off to become a pilot!" she whined. "Have you come back to stay, pookie?"

"Uh, sorry, Rebecca," Yugi apologized. "Actually, I'm here for work."

"Oh? The caretaker hired you?" Rebecca asked, blinking her eyes. She looked at Atem. "And you must be Yugi's captain! That's so cute!"

Yugi buried his face in his hands in embarrassment, but Atem just chuckled. "Rebecca, is it?" Atem asked. Rebecca nodded proudly as she stroked Yugi's arm. Little goose bumps showed up on Yugi's skin every time Rebecca touched him. "Can you take us to your caretaker?"

"He's upstairs," Yugi and Rebecca said simultaneously. Yugi looked a little embarrassed, but Rebecca took him firmly by the arm and dragged him to a rundown stairwell.

Rebecca knocked on a door at the top of the stairs. In a few moments, an old-looking man emerged. He was wearing what looked like a suit with a bow tie. He seemed very out of place in dusty New Nippon, Atem thought.

"Grandpa, the transport vessel you hired is here," Rebecca said.

"I see," the caretaker said. "I didn't think that I'd see you again, Yugi."

"Neither did I, Professor Hawkins," Yugi replied. "Uh, this is Captain Atem. I think he's the one that you want to talk to."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Atem said. He extended his hand, and Professor Hawkins shook it. "Now, how can I help you, Professor Hawkins?"

"Well, as you can see, our little orphanage is a little rundown," the professor said sadly. "I can't afford to keep housing my children, and I'm afraid that Jinkei Orphanage is going out of business." Yugi gaped. His home—gone? "But a very kind gentleman on Desdemona has agreed to take all my children to his orphanage. I'd like you to transport them all to his home."

"How many children are there?" Atem asked.

"Thirteen," Hawkins replied. Atem frowned. Skydragon was small, and it was dangerous for little children. Besides, how were they supposed to keep thirteen children entertained and fed during a two-day trip? "They are accustomed to living with the bare necessities, captain… as you can see."

"Excuse me as I speak with my pilot," Atem said. He pulled Yugi to the side quickly. "Yugi, how young are these children?"

"Anywhere from five to sixteen years old," Yugi replied. "They'll be fine on Skydragon, captain. It's like Professor Hawkins said. All we need to do is feed them and give them a few sleeping mats and they'll be fine."

"Are you certain that you won't be uncomfortable with your old friends on deck?" Atem asked.

Yugi nodded. "It will be fine."

* * *

"So how did you guys handle all of those kids?" Tea asked, laughing.

"I fed them sludge; Yugi kept them busy by playing follow-the-leader with them," Atem replied. "But it was an interesting two days, to be sure. I once walked into my cabin to find a young boy wearing my clothes."

"Anybody else got any good stories?" Joey asked. His flame-covered column was evolving.

"I remember the first time I met a companion," Tea said. "I was just a kid, and her name was Mai."


	8. Stories

"Daddy's going to be working for a companion?" Tea squealed. She jumped up and down happily. Tea's father, Harold, cringed at her words.

"I'm just going to be fixing up her shuttle, sweetie," he corrected softly. "You know your mother would never even let me _meet_ a companion if it wasn't for business. Uh, mechanical business. I mean, fixing up her shuttle."

"Can I come with you, Daddy?" Tea asked. Harold looked uncertain, and she clasped her hands together pleadingly. "Please?" she begged. "I won't get in the way, I promise."

"All right," Harold agreed, sighing. "Get yourself ready, and I'll try and convince your mother to let you come with me." He got up from the breakfast table and walked upstairs.

"You _do_ know what a companion is, don't you?" Tea's older sister asked. Gabrielle was only about ten months older than Tea, but she lorded those ten months ruthlessly over her little sister.

"Of course I do!" Tea exclaimed indignantly. But her curiosity overcame her pride. "No, I don't. What is it?"

"A companion is a whore," Gabrielle whispered. "They do it with guys for money."

"What's it?" Tea asked innocently.

"You're too young to understand," Gabrielle replied. Honestly, she didn't know either, but that's what her mother always said to her, and she wanted to sound smart.

Tea frowned. What was a "whore"? What was "it"? Companions got to do lots of glamorous things like wear makeup and play the sitar. They were able to put on exotic gowns and go to balls with handsome men. If that was "it", then it wasn't bad at all.

She finished her cereal and left the house with her father. It was early, and the sun was pale. The air had a slight chill. Men and women walked down the clean streets to their workplaces. Like most Uranian planets, Titania was ruled by the Alliance. That meant that everything was unnaturally clean and orderly.

They entered the shipyard. Tea saw the companion immediately. The lady had sparkling violet eyes, shining blonde hair, and rose red lips. She was wearing a purple and white sundress on a perfect figure. She was beautiful. "Mrs. Valentine, it's a pleasure to meet you," Harold said stiffly. The companion smiled at him.

"Please, call me Mai," she said. "I don't know what's wrong with my shuttle. She just won't start."

"I'll give it a look," Harold said. He entered the little shuttle, and Mai sat down on a nearby bench and crossed her legs. Tea inched back and forth. She felt nervous all of a sudden. Mai noticed her and winked.

"Hey, hon. Are you Harold's daughter?" Mai asked. Tea nodded shyly, and Mai patted the bench beside her. Tea sat next to Mai happily, and Mai put her hand companionably around Tea's shoulders. "What's your name?"

"My name's Tea," Tea answered.

"Tea's a pretty name," Mai said. Tea's face turned pink. "How old are you?"

"I'm six years old, ma'am," Tea said.

"You must think being a companion is the best thing in the world, huh?" Mai asked. "Every six-year-old girl thinks that I'm like a princess, but my job's a lot harder than it seems." She sighed. "Find yourself a job where you can respect yourself, Tea. Find a job where you don't have to feel empty inside. Being a companion is _not_ the best thing in the world. Even being a mechanic is a whole lot better."

* * *

"Man, I always wanted to meet a companion," Tristan said wistfully. Tea smacked him on the back of the head with her paintbrush, streaking green paint across his hair. "Well, so did you!" he retaliated.

"For a different reason!" Tea yelled indignantly.

"Come on, guys. Stop fighting," Yugi pleaded. "Does anybody have another story?"

"D'ya guys know why I name all my favorite guns Serenity?" Joey asked. The others grew silent. "Serenity's my little sister's name," Joey explained. "We grew up on Charon together. She's da reason I got inta da bodyguard business."

* * *

"I'm scared, big brother," Serenity said softly. Firelight shone through the slats of the boards on the windows. The sound of gunfire echoed through the streets. It was another gang war, and Serenity and Joey were hiding in the closet of a rundown store.

"It's gonna be all right," Joey replied soothingly. "I'm right here. I'm gonna make sure that you're safe."

They had run away from home a few years ago. Their father and his drunken rages had been worse than the gangs. They had stayed alive by working odd jobs and stealing food. But a couple of months earlier, Joey had decided that Serenity needed a better life than this. She was innocent and pure, and she needed to stay that way. So they had started walking across the country to the nearest skyport. Joey would sneak Serenity onto a ship for an inner planet, and he would say goodbye to her. She would have to find her own way after that.

"Come on; we only have a few more towns left," Joey said encouragingly. He pulled at Serenity's arm, but she didn't move.

"I'm tired of running, Joey," she said sadly. "I'm tired, and I just want to stop."

"We can't stop now, Serenity, not when we're so close!" Joey said. He grabbed Serenity by the shoulders. "I know it looks hard, but we gotta keep fightin'. I promised myself that I was gonna protect ya, and I ain't gonna quit just 'cause it gets hard."

"But how are we supposed to get past those gangs?" Serenity asked.

"We're just gonna hafta be a little sneaky, that's all," Joey said. He peeked out the window. It was nighttime, and he and his sister were small, so they would be able to pass unnoticed through the town rather easily. The fires were a problem, though, as were the snipers with night-vision goggles. Joey decided that the quickest and safest route to the plains was through the abandoned buildings.

Joey raised Serenity to her feet and led her out of the shop. They darted across the street like shadows. The moon was just a sliver. "Joey, I can't see," Serenity said. That was good, Joey thought. Neither could the others.

"Hey, what are you kids doin' here?" a man demanded. He was wearing alien-like green goggles, and he was carrying a laser rifle in his hand. Joey grabbed Serenity and dashed into the emergency room of a hospital. He hid Serenity under an operating table and grabbed a scalpel for a weapon. The man cursed and stalked slowly into the hospital, scanning every room for the two children.

As soon as the man walked into the emergency room, he screamed and fell to the ground. Joey had slashed his Achilles tendons. He wouldn't be walking anytime soon. Joey and Serenity ran out of the room just as the man began to fire his laser rifle as them. He screamed with pain and frustration as they fled.

They ran across the town, darting between bonfires, running through empty buildings. Serenity's breath became ragged as she grew tired. But Joey squeezed her wrist, and she kept running.

As the light of the sun began to spread on the horizon, Joey and Serenity emerged from the town and collapsed by the side of the road. They were hungry, but they didn't have any food. "We gotta keep goin'," Joey said. "We gotta get ta da next town so we can get something ta eat."

"Can't we just rest now?" Serenity asked. "We're safe, and we haven't slept for two days."

Joey sighed. "All right. Go ta sleep ova there, behind that rock." That way, no one walking along the road would be able to see them. Serenity crept behind the boulder and lay down on the long grass. She was asleep within minutes. Joey wouldn't sleep. He needed to keep Serenity safe.

* * *

"What happened to her?" Yugi asked. "Is she okay?"

Joey shrugged. "I don't really know. The last time I saw her, she was on her way to Hyperion. But we were just kids back then. Who knows where she is now."

"I'm sure that she's doing just fine, Joey," Atem said reassuringly. "Well, what about you, Tristan? You're the only one who hasn't shared a story from your past."

"Well, when I was about fifteen, I was in the browncoat army," Tristan admitted. "I fought against the Alliance on Triton when they were trying to unify the Neptunian cluster."


	9. Don't Fear the Reaver

Gunfire rained in on the troops. Tristan threw himself behind a building and took a deep breath. His hands were shaking, and his knees were weak. He felt as though he might vomit. "Come on, Tristan," he muttered to himself. "You gotta pull yourself through this, man." He reloaded his gun as a grenade exploded a few yards away.

Tristan looked up at the sky. He wished that he could see ships up there. Ships meant help or escape, and he would gladly take either right now. The browncoats were losing, and Alliance forces were closing in on the few soldiers left alive.

He didn't want to die. He was fifteen years old—why had he even gotten himself into this war? Tristan flinched as someone turned the corner and pointed a gun in his face. Instinctively, he closed his eyes, even as he aimed his rifle at his enemy.

There was the sound of a gun firing. Tristan shook violently. He felt as though his entire body had turned to jelly. But there was no pain. He cracked open one eye and then the other. A black-haired man with sparkling green eyes was staring down at him. The black-haired man tossed a limp body to the side.

"You all right over there?" he asked. Tristan nodded. "I'm Duke. You might want to pay more attention. I'm not gonna be there to save you next time."

"Right," Tristan said hurriedly. "Thanks. I'm Tristan."

Duke slung his smoking rifle over his shoulder and crouched down next to Tristan. "Third division?" he asked. "I figured as much. Those are all volunteers. Barely trained at all."

"Are you saying that I'm not cut out for this or something?" Tristan asked indignantly. "Look, pal, I've got as much training as you!"

"I've been in the army since I was seven," Duke stated.

"All right… maybe I don't have as much training as you," Tristan continued. "But that doesn't mean I'm not as good as you."

"Listen. War is death. Can you handle that?" Duke asked.

Tristan didn't want to die. He was fifteen years old. But he was in this war, for better or for worse. He had volunteered because it was right. The Alliance was overbearing, tyrannical, and impersonal. They wanted your taxes, and they wanted you to keep quiet. Tristan couldn't imagine what it would be like if the 'verse was under the Alliance's control. And he wanted to prove to this super-trained warrior that he could hold his own. "Yeah. I can handle that."

"Then come on," Duke commanded impatiently. The two soldiers set off across the battlefield as gunfire kicked up little clouds of dirt at their heels. Missiles whizzed past their ears and crashed into buildings, raining debris on their heads. "When are the angels getting here?" Tristan shouted over the chaos.

They dove behind a ravaged stone wall. "They should be here at dawn," Duke panted. The eastern horizon was reddening. They were saved, and had only managed to survive this long by the skin of their teeth. "If we reach the edge of Serenity Valley, we should be able to catch a ride out of here before we get dead."

There was a momentary lull in the assault, and Duke and Tristan careened over dismembered carcasses and abandoned machinery as they pressed through to Serenity Valley. They could hear the sound of the air support vehicles in the distance. "There they are," Duke said. "They're coming."

They reached the edge of the valley. Airplanes hovered over the air. Tristan looked over and saw a bright look of relief spread over Duke's face. But there was something wrong about those airplanes; they weren't standard Independent make. "Those are Alliance aircraft," Tristan whispered. And as bombs rained down from their "angels," Tristan glanced at Duke just in time to see him fall.

* * *

"Well, we've spent all of our money, and we're back to square one," Atem stated. "We need another job, one far away from Osiris."

"There's always the drug trade," Tristan said jokingly. Atem frowned at him, and Tristan was silent.

"Firefly isn't fast enough for shipping food," Yugi said. "Perishables would rot days before we got to our destination."

"Hm… how about ship salvaging?" Tea proposed. "I'm sure that there are plenty of ships just floating out there in the black, waiting to be taken apart. I could find the valuable parts, and then we could sell them somewhere."

"That sounds like a good idea," Atem said, "as long as Yugi can find an abandoned ship. There is plenty of black out there, but we also have a great deal of competition."

"I'll reprogram the beacon so that it will alert me when it encounters an immobile ship," Yugi said. He got up and let for the bridge.

"We always seem to come back to this problem," Atem noted. "Whenever a job ends, we're scrambling for another one. It's as if there isn't enough work for a vessel like Skydragon."

"Whaddya mean?" Joey exclaimed. "Who'd wanna be doin' da same job every day? That'd be borin'."

"It would pay for gas, food, and repairs," Atem said. "And it would be stable. After two years, we haven't encountered the right job for us, but it would be worthwhile to find it." His eyes drifted away. Yugi was a great pilot, but Skydragon was slow. Tea was a gifted mechanic, but there was only so much that she could do. Fireflies were known for their hidden nooks and crannies, making them perfect for transporting contraband. But this was an honest ship, and it always would be.

Firefly was not for transporting human beings, either. The cargo bay was too tiny for any large cargo. Skydragon and its crew were in a bit of a bind. They could expand their possibilities if they got a different ship. But the crew loved Skydragon. It was their home. They would find a career that suited them one day. They just needed to keep looking.

Eighteen hours later, Yugi paged the rest of the crew. They had found a ship. "Their life-support is still operational, according to the sensors, but it looks like their propulsion systems burned out a long time ago," Yugi stated. "I wonder what happened to the crew. All of their shuttles are still there."

"Let's hope that no one's been here before us," Atem said. "Dock us, and get ready to board the ship. We'll see if there's anything worthwhile over there."

Skydragon docked the foreign ship with a thud, and the doors of the cargo bay opened. The crew shivered as cold air poured into the room. The other ship's life support must have been running on low.

There were no lights, so they walked into the ship armed with flashlights. Joey and Tristan gripped their weapons tightly. They always felt uneasy when they left Skydragon. "This looks like an old Poseidon model," Yugi observed. "A large B-type." A-types were military vessels, C-types were transport vessels, and B-types were passenger ships.

"Let's split up," Atem proposed. "If you find anything that we could sell, bring it back here. If it's too big to carry, then come back here anyway and tell us what it is and where we can find it."

The crew agreed to this, and they set out down different hallways. Tea went down a few floors to the passenger's rooms. When she entered bunk 64A, her eyes sparkled. There was a mahogany vanity that was inlaid with gold in the corner. Tea threw open its drawers and nearly fainted when earrings and necklaces glinted back at her. She greedily shoved the jewelry into a bag she had brought, saving the vanity for later.

But as she turned to raid the rest of the rooms, she noticed something unusual. The bed was unmade. Had there been passengers on the ship when the propulsion systems had gone dead? And if so, where had they gone if their shuttles were still here? She shook her head and moved on to room 65A.

Joey had gone to the mess hall. As soon as he stepped into the room, a horrible, pungent smell crept into his nostrils. "Ugh," he mumbled as he walked between the dining tables. The plates and the silverware on the tables were pure silver, but the food on the tables had long rotted.

When he entered the kitchen, the smell became intolerable. There were large vats of mold-covered soup and putrid meat. Joey quickly retreated and started collecting all of the clean silverware.

Tristan headed upstairs to a large entertainment room. There were roulette tables, slot machines, a ballroom floor, and a large stage with a microphone and instruments. There was a bar in the corner filled to the brim with alcohol. Tristan began carefully packing the bottles of booze into his sack. He took a few nips while he was working—the captain would never have to know.

Atem traveled to the bridge. He wanted to find out exactly what had happened to this ship. He accessed the latest captain's log and played it allowed. "Captain's log, September 21st, 2527," the voice said. The captain was a female. "We're three weeks into our trip, and we're just returning from our expedition to the outer rim. We hope to return to the Uranian cluster without incident.

"I am worried, however, that incident will occur. Poseidon has been followed by an unknown vessel for a few days now. My pilot has been unable to identify the vessel's make or model, and the ship has not responded to our beacons. We are just a cruise ship; we have no animosity with the Alliance or with the outer rim monarchy. That makes me worry even more. There is only one other power in this small universe that we would need to contend with, and I pray dearly that our stalker does not ally with that power. Our ship is slow, we have no weapons, and our passengers are vulnerable—we wouldn't stand a chance."

"One other power?" Atem repeated. He felt his stomach sink and his heart rise to his throat. Could that vessel following Poseidon really have been…? "We need to get off this ship, now," Atem said to himself. He prepared to gather the rest of his crew and leave immediately, but a scream echoed through the metallic halls of the ship. Atem set off at a run, hoping beyond hope that this ship had not been attacked by Reavers.


	10. Fear the Reaver

Yugi fell to his knees in shock. There, staked to the ceiling of the storage room, were heaps of human bodies. Men, women, _children_—there they were, ripped open and mutilated. Their eyes were open, and they were staring down at Yugi with a dead gaze. They were rotting, and they stank.

Yugi had screamed. He had vomited. Now he wanted to run away, but he couldn't will his legs to move. He was stuck there, staring at the bodies that were staring back at him with lifeless eyes.

Atem burst into the room. "Yugi, what happened?" he demanded. Yugi did not reply. Yugi's brain couldn't form the words to express the horror of what he was seeing. Atem followed Yugi's eyes to the ceiling and recoiled. "Yugi, we have to go. Now," Atem said. Yugi stood up, but he was moving too slowly. Atem grabbed Yugi's arm and pulled him into the hallway.

Moments later, the three other members of the crew rushed up next to them. "What happened? Who screamed?" Tea asked.

"I don't have time to answer questions," Atem said. "We need to get back to the ship as soon as possible." They piled onto Skydragon in minutes. Atem grabbed Yugi by the shoulders and looked his pilot in the eyes. "Yugi, I know that you've just seen something that no one should ever have to see," he said, "but I need you to get us out of here. Otherwise, the same thing that happened to those passengers will happen to us."

Yugi nodded slowly and trudged off to the bridge. Atem shut the cargo bay doors. "Captain?" Tristan asked.

"Reavers," Atem replied. The three looked confused. "Reavers are not a myth; they are very much real, and they are as dangerous as you've heard. Reavers attacked that ship and killed everyone on it—crew, passengers, everyone."

"How d'ya know that, captain?" Joey asked. "Coulda been some other creep out in da black."

"I know a Reaver attack when I see one!" Atem exclaimed. "I bet that they made the children watched at those monsters raped their mothers and gutted their fathers! I bet that they killed the little ones one at a time, leaving the last to kill itself! No human being could do something like that, Joseph, no matter how evil they might be. Reavers are in a class of their own."

Joey became subdued. "What are we gonna do about this?" he asked softly.

"Run, for now," Atem answered. "Reavers leave ships like Poseidon as bait for salvagers, counting on the fact that no one believes they exist. Then they kill a ship's crew in the most horrible way they can think of, and they eat their organs and steal their vessel. If we leave now, we might be able to avoid that fate."

Tristan gulped. "Might?" he repeated, his voice trembling.

Skydragon suddenly lurched, and Tristan nearly dropped the bottles of expensive alcohol he was holding. Atem rushed up to the bridge. "What was that?" he asked Yugi.

"A-another ship," Yugi answered. "It just fired a weapon at us." Skydragon lurched again, and Yugi began to quiver. Atem glanced at the radar. The Reaver vessel was directly behind them.

"Pilot us to the nearest planet, Yugi," Atem instructed. They were hit again. "Quickly!"

Yugi managed to get a hold of himself and gripped the controls. He powered Skydragon up to full speed and took off. Atem had to hold a bar on the ceiling to keep from falling over. "Hold on," Yugi muttered. The Reavers continued to fire, but Yugi began a complicated series of evasive maneuvers.

Yugi slowed down. "What are you…?" Atem began. Yugi shook his head as the Reavers caught up with them. Suddenly Yugi turned Skydragon completely upside-down and flew full speed in the opposite direction. The Reaver vessel, loaded with weapons, couldn't turn as quickly, and Yugi was given a strong head start.

They flew into an asteroid belt. Yugi was taking advantage of all of Skydragon's merits. Skydragon was small, and Yugi could easily navigate her through the dense clots of asteroids without a scratch. The Reaver vessel was one of the old A-type Obelisk-class ships, as big as a small city. Asteroids bounced off it, damaging its hull.

Atem held his breath as Yugi weaved and bobbed his way through the belt. The Reaver vessel was slowing down, but asteroids were still bombarding it. As Yugi passed into the Uranian cluster, a large explosion propelled them forward. The Reaver vessel was destroyed, and Skydragon and its crew were safe.

"Excellent flying, Yugi," Atem breathed. Yugi removed his shaking hands from the controls, slouching down in his chair with relief. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," Yugi replied softly. "I'm fine." Atem put his hand on Yugi's shoulder, and Yugi sighed deeply.

Joey, Tristan, and Tea entered the bridge frantically. "Are we still alive? We stopped movin'," Joey declared.

"We're still alive," Atem answered. "Thanks to Yugi." Tea put her hand on her heart, and Tristan popped open one of the bottles of rum. Yugi grabbed it and took a long swig.

"I can't believe it," Tea said. "Reavers are real? All of the stories?"

"Reavers are just as bad as they've been made out to be," Atem said. "I first encountered them when I was five years old. They killed my family and raided my hometown."

"I'm so sorry, captain," Yugi said sympathetically.

Atem shook his head. "We did manage to escape with our skins on this time, but we should try to avoid salvage operations in the future," he said. "We'll have to find something else to do to pay the bills."

"But for now, we have plenty of things to sell," Tea said encouragingly. "We have jewelry and silver… We might even have some alcohol if Yugi and Tristan don't drink it all." She snatched the bottle of rum away from Yugi, who hiccupped. "We should try one of the inner planets to sell luxuries like these."

"The Jupiterian cluster would probably be our best bet," Atem said. "Yugi, set a course for Callisto."

"Yes, hic, sir," Yugi replied.

* * *

While in the market on Callisto, the crew of Skydragon had secured another job. They needed to transport a large load of ceramics to Ariel, and no jar or plate could be cracked. The crew packed all of the ceramics in bundles of clothes and blankets, but the job still required careful piloting. Atem trusted Yugi to take care of that.

Yugi powered down the ship and headed for bed. He wasn't going to trust auto-pilot with such a delicate flying mission. Atem bade Yugi goodnight and then headed down to cargo bay to check the pottery.

Atem pulled the cover off of a large crate and began carefully unloading bundle after bundle. Suddenly, something stirred in the background. Atem pulled his pistol out of its holster and pointed it at the corner.

"Whoever's there, come out now," Atem instructed sternly. A small, delicate foot poked out from under the shelf. The foot was followed by a long, slender leg, which was followed by a pair of blue shorts. Then a young girl emerged. She had long auburn hair and soft hazel eyes. "I don't take well to stowaways," Atem said.

"I'm very sorry, but I need to get to Ariel, and I don't have much money," the girl said. Her voice was very feminine, almost childish. "Please don't hurt me."

Atem sighed and put away his gun. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said. "But I will have to report you to the authorities on Ariel."

"Oh! Please don't do that!" she begged. "I swear, I'll never do it again, I swear!"

Atem looked at her with compassion. "You stow away on my ship and expect not to be held accountable?" he asked. The girl hung her head. "We'll talk to the rest of my crew." The girl smiled and began helping him repack the pottery into the crates.

Atem summoned everyone into the mess hall. "What's your name?" he asked the girl, who was shifting nervously in her chair.

"I'm Serenity," she said. Atem stopped. That was Joey's sister's name. It must have just been a coincidence, though—plenty of girls had the name of Serenity.

Yugi was the first to arrive. He was still in his pajamas, and he was rubbing his eyes. "What is it, captain?" he asked tiredly. Atem pointed to the girl, and Yugi stared at her. "Uh, I don't think I've met you before…"

"She stowed away on our ship," Atem said. Yugi looked between Atem and Serenity, unsure of what to say.

"Well, it's nice to meet you," Yugi replied finally. He took a seat and tapped his fingers on the table.

Joey strode into the mess hall. His hair was ruffled, and his clothes were wrinkly and disheveled. "What happened?" he mumbled. His eyes found Serenity and stopped. Serenity stood up with a soft smile on her face.

"Hi, big brother."


	11. Serenity

"I got to Hyperion safely, but I was having trouble finding work," Serenity said. "Then I was able to get a ride to Elara, but I couldn't find work their either. None of the women trusted me because I was a runaway. None of the men thought that I could handle their work. I had to beg to get food. I've been drifting from one planet to another ever since the day I last saw you, Joey."

"I though that when I got ya ta an Alliance city, you'd be safe," Joey said softly. "I'm sorry I left ya all alone out there."

"I understand that you were doing what you thought was best for me," Serenity replied. "You're still my big brother, Joey."

"We're having a hard time finding jobs as well, Serenity, but we will do our best to find a career for you," Atem said. "Do you have any skills that can be put to use?"

Serenity hung her head. Her long hair tumbled over her shoulders and veiled her face. "I never really had a chance to build any," she answered. She seemed ashamed, and Joey frowned at Atem.

"That's all right," Atem continued quickly. "I'm sure that you're perfectly capable of doing many jobs. You say that women have a tendency to distrust you because you're a runaway—how do they know that?"

Serenity tugged at her shorts. They were stained and dirty, and their hems had long been worn away. Atem nodded. "I'm sure that Tea will help you to make a good impression," Atem said.

"Come on, Serenity, I'll get you cleaned up," Tea offered. Serenity took Tea's hand, and Tea lead Serenity down to her bunk.

"So what's it like to live on a starship?" Serenity asked as Tea pulled clothes out of her closet.

"Well, it's different from living on a world, that's for sure," Tea said. She handed Serenity a small sky blue dress and turned her back as Serenity changed. "You don't stay on land for more than a day or two, so your ship becomes sort of like your home."

"If your ship's your home, does that mean that your crew's your family?" Serenity asked. She smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress. She looked beautiful.

"I guess that we treat each other like family," Tea said. "But the captain's still the captain. Sit down; let's get some of that dirt off your face."

Serenity knelt on the floor as Tea poured some water into a bowl and wetted a clean rag in it. She gave the rag to Serenity, who began rubbing her face with it. "So what does my brother do?"

"Atem calls him a 'helping hand', but he's really closer to a bodyguard," Tea answered. "Things can get dangerous when we go out on missions, and he keeps us from getting killed."

"He did the same thing for me, ten years ago," Serenity answered. She smiled at the rag, which had already turned a dirty brown. Tea began fondly brushing out Serenity's long and tangled hair.

"You must miss him," Tea said. "I heard that he was the only person you had when you were kids."

"I was born when Joey was three, on Pasiphae," Serenity began. "Our parents split up when we were little, and we went to live with my dad on Miranda. But he used to drink a lot, and whenever he drank, he would get… violent. So Joey and I ran away when we were kids, and Joey made it his mission to get me back to an inner planet so that I could have a better life." Serenity sighed. "The last time I saw him, I didn't even get to say goodbye to him. The ship to Hyperion was leaving, and I needed to find a place to stow away before it was gone for good. So Joey hid me in the cargo bay and left before he was discovered."

"Wow, I'm so sorry," Tea said. "Well, you look good enough for any job now."

"Thanks," Serenity said shyly. She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Do you really think that I'll be able to find a place to work?"

"Of course you will," Tea replied. "Now let's show you to your brother. He'll be speechless when he sees you!"

The two women walked back into the mess hall. Tea presented Serenity like a work of art, and so she was. Serenity's new dress complemented her auburn cascade of hair and her alabaster skin. Her hazel eyes sparkled now that they weren't set in such a dirty face.

"It looks like you're ready for your stage debut," Yugi complemented. Serenity blushed.

"You've really grown up, Serenity," Joey said. "Ya look all… girly." The ladies chuckled.

"And you look all manly, big brother," Serenity replied. "The last time we saw each other, we were just kids, but we're both adults now."

Two days later, Skydragon landed on Ariel. They sold the pottery and earned enough money to pay for gas and food until their next job. While the crew was in the market, Serenity scoped the town for jobs. As the sun was setting on the water-planet, the crew gathered outside Skydragon and waited for Serenity to return.

"I got a job as an assistant chef in the Mermaid Resort," Serenity announced proudly. The crew cheered and clapped for her. "Joey…"

"I know. It looks like we're gonna hafta split up again," Joey said. He hugged his sister tightly. "At least I get ta say goodbye this time."

"Thank you so much for helping me again," Serenity said. She turned to the crew. "All of you. If the captain hadn't let me on his ship… if Tea hadn't given me this dress…"

"It's the least that we could do for Joey's family," Tristan said, laughing boisterously. "And if you ever need any help, the starship Skydragon is at your service!" He grabbed Serenity's hands while he spoke, and Joey pushed him away angrily.

Serenity sighed. "Well…"

Joey patted Serenity's hair. "Goodbye, sis'," he said. Serenity walked away into the distance. Before she was swallowed by the bustling crowds, she waved for the final time. "Goodbye."

* * *

Atem and Yugi sat together in the quiet of the bridge. Every time they returned to this place, it reminded them of when they were the only members of the crew.

"I wonder if Tristan and Tea ever miss their families," Yugi mused. "Joey hadn't seen his family for years. I was an orphan. You were a slave. But Tristan and Tea left their homes and the people they loved to come and be a part of the crew. I just wonder if they ever miss the ones they left behind."

"I'm sure that they missed their families very much at first," Atem replied. "But it fades. Everything in this universe fades with time."

Yugi stared out at the stares. "My mother died in childbirth, I think, and my father was killed when I was just a boy," Atem continued. "And I don't miss them, exactly, but I wonder what kind of people they were."

"I know what you mean," Yugi said. "I don't even know what my parents' first names were."

Maybe that's why Yugi and Atem could be so open with each other, Atem thought. Maybe that's why the two of them were so cut out for life on a ship. They had never had a family, and they could make their own family in their small world.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound broke the peace. "A beacon," Yugi said. He opened up the beacon, which was a vid-letter. The face of a tan-skinned man popped onto the screen. He was wearing Osiris-style garb—a white linen tunic and gold earrings.

"Shadi?" Atem exclaimed.

The man, Shadi, began to speak, "Captain, I must warn you. King Bakura has put out a warrant for your arrest. Avoid the outer planets. You have my best wishes." The brief message ended.

"Do you know him?" Yugi asked.

"When I was living in the slave's barracks, he used to take care of me," Atem answered. "And he has been my most trusted advisor for many years. I don't doubt a word of what he's said."

"But we can't avoid that outer planets—most of our work is there," Yugi said. "We need that work, Atem."

"I know. But we need to make a choice," Atem said. "Do we avoid Bakura at the expense of our paychecks, or do we risk our lives to make a living?"


	12. New Skydragon

Well, now there's only one fic left to finish. Thank you guys for sticking with me all the way, namely:

**Yizuki, dr-fan/mai-lover, dragonlady222, Erik's Champion, Sorceress Casandra180, Avalon's mists, Suma Amoru, A Silent Thunder, The Danvers Girls, Imagine.EXE, Panguins-in-American-Oh-my, **and **Garden of Everything.**

And now we bring it to a close.

* * *

Bakura smiled sickly at his new captive. Atem was lying on the floor, shuddering with pain, too exhausted to move. "Come now, Atem, did you really think you could escape me?" Bakura asked tauntingly. Atem coughed. "I have an entire world at my disposal. I was going to catch you some day."

"That doesn't mean… that I shouldn't have tried…" Atem wheezed. He pushed himself up onto all fours. "I've been waiting for this moment my entire life, my old friend."

"What moment is that?" Bakura asked.

Atem chuckled and spat the blood out of his mouth. "The moment where you kill me."

Bakura laughed aloud. "I'm not going to kill you, you fool. Not yet, at least. I want to keep you alive for a few more days—weeks, if I can manage it. You and the rest of your crew."

Atem's eyes narrowed. "Yugi…"

"Yes, Yugi and Tea and Joey and Tristan," Bakura replied. "They are all going to go through the same thing as you, because of you." Bakura bent down by Atem's ear. "You're their captain, Captain Atem. It's your duty to protect them, and you failed," he whispered.

Atem stared at the ground. "Twenty years ago, our parents were killed by Reavers," he said. "We trusted each other—we depended on each other. And after all this time, Bakura, I still don't know why you betrayed me."

Bakura grinned. "Trusted each other? I never trusted you. I never trusted anyone after my parents were murdered before my eyes. I betrayed you because it was convenient for me."

"You are heartless," Atem stated. "Even when you were a child, you manipulated those close to you for your own good! And I bet you became king the same way! No one would ever choose you, Bakura. And rather than work to become truly proficient at anything, you undermine others to get what you want the easy way."

Bakura growled. "I am king of Osiris! Do you think you're better than me?"

"After you sold me into slavery, I worked hard to earn this life," Atem said. "After seven years, I was freed, as the law requires. But my owner supplied me with everything I needed to survive because I had served him so faithfully. Then I dedicated myself to becoming a captain for another seven years, and here I am. I am better than you. I didn't hurt others to get my position."

Bakura pressed a brand against the back of Atem's neck in rage. Atem's screamed. "There. Now you have a pair," Bakura seethed. Atem panted, clutching his new wound. "I _will_ kill you, Atem. But I'm going to make a spectacle out of you first. I'm going to show all my people that they will pay dearly if they disobey me, and that no one escapes my wrath."

Suddenly the palace shook, all the way down to its foundations. Atem took his attention off his burned skin and looked around. "What's going on?" Bakura asked. He walked over to the stairs, but the ceiling collapsed. Gigantic pieces of debris rained on him, and Atem could dimly see a ring-laden hand grasp for free air.

Atem summoned all of his strength and picked himself off the ground. The burns and gashes on his skin throbbed and stung. He crawled over the pieces of ceiling as quickly as he could, and he limped up the stairs into the main hall.

Bakura's subjects were running around the palace in terror. The walls rumbled and quivered. Atem pushed his way through the panicked crowd to the prisons and searched the dark hallways for his crew. "Atem!" Yugi yelled. Atem dashed over to Yugi's cell.

"Yugi, are you all right?" Atem asked. Yugi nodded.

"What's happening upstairs?" Yugi asked. "It sounds like the building's coming down."

"It is, quite literally," Atem said. "We need to get you and the rest of the crew out of here, quickly." Atem dashed off to the prison guard's office and sifted through the drawers of the desk. There had to be a spare set of keys in here somewhere…

Finally, Atem unearthed a large set of rusty keys. Dust began to sprinkle down on his head, and he hurried back to Yugi's cell. "The others are a few blocks down," Yugi said. "We've been yelling back and forth to each other for the last couple of days."

When Joey, Tristan, and Tea saw Yugi and Atem approaching, they cheered. "Ya guys are all right!" Joey yelled. "Captain, what's goin' on out there?"

"I hate to think," Atem said. "But I fear that Osiris is once again under Reaver attack."

"Reavers?" Tea asked. Atem opened their cells doors. "Then we need to get out of here, fast!"

They nodded in agreement, and they ran out of the prisons without a look back. When they made their way outside, they saw three large A-type ships. They were firing on Bakura's palace relentlessly. Yugi spotted a nearby armored vessel, and he veered towards it.

The armored ship was a B-type Gateguardian. It was slow and difficult to steer, but its super-reinforced hull could withstand the heaviest of blows. Yugi flew them out of orbit and far away from Osiris. The Reavers ignored them—they had many more victims trapped on the planet.

"We made it," Tea breathed. Tristan smiled, and Joey looked relieved. But Atem stared unhappily at the ground, clenching his fists. "Captain?" Tea asked.

"Skydragon is gone," Atem said. Tea's jaw dropped. In the bridge, Yugi's hands loosened around the controls. Their ship, their home, was lost to Reavers.

Bakura had ruined everything Atem had worked so hard for. He had dedicated his life to that ship. Now it was lost forever. "We'll just need to get a new ship," Atem said. The others looked up at him with surprise.

"But… but captain…" Tristan stammered. Atem shook his head.

"Skydragon's time is over," Atem said. "We need to move on. You will all remain my crew, if you so desire, but if you choose to leave, I'll understand."

"Leave? Ya think we're gonna leave just 'cause we lost our ship?" Joey asked. "We're like a family, captain. We're not gonna quit just 'cause things get a little hard."

"Right," Tea said.

"Hopefully we'll be able to trade this ship for another C-type," Atem mused. "We have no money."

"We'll find something to do," Tea said. "If we need to, we'll find other jobs. We're still a crew, and that's what matters."

* * *

Yugi stared at the new ship's controls. It was still a C-type, and it was still a Firefly class, but it was a different model. This wasn't home yet.

Tea was desperately trying to patch the defective parts of the new ship's engine. She was beginning to realize why this vessel had been so cheap. She would be able to fix most of it, but they would have to get along without a few parts until their next job.

Tristan was scrubbing the mold off the kitchen walls. Joey was organizing his bunk and mourning the loss of his weapons. Atem was trying to think of a name for his new craft.

Yugi tuned his receiver to the local news. The screen was small and the video quality was terrible, but the noise would help with Yugi's slight feeling of melancholy.

"For those of you who are just joining us, we've heard evidence of an alien attack on the outer rim planet Osiris," the newscaster said. "Many eyewitnesses are claiming that these aliens are the 'Reavers' from popular mythology, but there is no hard evidence supporting this theory. Yami Bakura, the king of Osiris, died in the assault, and the world seems to be completely under alien control. We'll keep you posted."

Well, if there were eyewitnesses, then at least some people had survived. But the Reavers were becoming much more aggressive, and they had gained control over an entire planet in a matter of days. If anything could threaten the Alliance's pristine rule, the Reavers could.

Yugi could only imagine how Atem was feeling. His sorrow at the loss of his home must have been immense—but his guilt must have overshadowed that completely. It had been his decision to take that job on Persephone, where they had been vulnerable to Bakura's ever-expanding jurisdiction in the outer-rim. It was his responsibility to keep his family safe. He had failed.

Atem strode into the cockpit. "Well, how do you like it?" he asked. He sat down in the copilot's chair. The brand on the back of his neck had healed, but a white B-shaped scar still remained.

"This reminds me of the first time I sat down behind Skydragon's controls," Yugi said. "Have you thought of a new name yet?"

Atem sighed. "I can't think of a thing. Would it be horribly unimaginative of me to name this ship 'Skydragon' also?"

Yugi laughed. "I guess that nobody's going to complain. How did you come up with Skydragon, anyway?"

"I have just one memory of my father," Atem said. "I was young, very young, and he was telling me a story about Earth-That-Was. A long time ago, in a land called Egypt, there were three great monsters that spread destruction throughout the land. They were called Obelisk the Tormentor, the Winged Dragon of Ra, and Slifer the Sky Dragon. The pharaoh, the king of Egypt, sealed those monsters away, but five thousand years later, they were released from their prison.

"A great battle began between three men. Two of the men fought for their own purposes, to gain the power to control the world. Obelisk sided with one of those men, and Ra sided with the other. But Slifer the Sky Dragon allied with the warrior who fought for good, for the sake of all mankind. With the help of the Sky Dragon, the good warrior won, and the world was safe again. And like the pharaoh from five thousand years ago, the warrior sealed away the great monsters so that their power could never again be used for evil."

"… Skydragon is a very good name," Yugi replied softly. "We'll use it for this ship too." Atem nodded. "Captain… it wasn't your fault that we were captured by Bakura."

Chuckling softly, Atem said, "I appreciate your consolation, Yugi. But you're wrong. At times like this, it seems like I'm just another member of the crew. However, I'm still your captain. It's my duty to protect you, and to make the decisions that will keep you safe and fed. I made a mistake, and it nearly cost us our lives. It was entirely my fault."

"Yeah, you're the captain," Yugi agreed. "And you know I would follow your orders no matter what. But we've been best friends for way too long for you to take responsibility for all of us yourself. If you did something right, then so did we, and if it's your fault, it's ours, too. That's how this thing works."

"I don't think that you understand," Atem said gently.

"Maybe I don't," Yugi answered. "But don't you like my philosophy better than yours?"

"It certainly sounds good," Atem laughed. "Perhaps I'll give it a try." He patted Yugi on the shoulder, and when he left, Yugi was pleased to see a smile on his face.

* * *

"Everyone, we have another job, on Elara," Atem said to the crew. "We're going to be transporting a load of ramen noodles to Nix." The Alliance had responded to the Reaver threat when the aliens began attacking the Plutonian cluster. A brilliant, bloody war had been fought, and the Reavers had been driven back to the outer rim.

Atem sat down at the kitchen table. "So who's winning?" he asked. Yugi, Tea, and Tristan were once again playing a game of Cornucopia. Joey was watching them carefully.

"Tea's winnin'. Tea's always winnin'," Joey answered.

"Um… Four strawberries," Yugi said hesitantly.

Tea grinned at him. "Five strawberries." Yugi shifted in his chair. That grin made him uncertain.

"I fold," Tristan said quickly.

Everyone in the room thought that Tea was once again going to take the game, but Yugi suddenly leaned back in his chair with a smile on his face and said, "One pineapple."

Tristan raised his eyebrows. There was only one pineapple in the entire deck, and it was superior to all other cards, even strawberries. Yugi couldn't possibly have been lucky enough to actually draw the best hand in the world, four strawberries and a pineapple. But he was a terrible liar, and Yugi seemed so confident.

"I… fold," Tea said at length. She put her cards face down on the table, and the crew turned to Yugi. Yugi laid out his cards and… he only had two pears, two oranges, and an apple.

"What?" Tristan exclaimed. "Dude, you didn't have those cards after all?"

Yugi smiled and shook his head. "I guess that I don't have to clean out the cargo bay for a week…" Tristan fumed. That would be his job, since he folded first.

"I didn't know that it was even possible for you to lie, Yugi," Atem chided.

"I'll play you again, double or nothing," Tea bargained. She looked flustered. She had never been beaten at Cornucopia before. But by Yugi? He had to be the worst player on the ship!

"No thanks, Tea, I have to set our course," Yugi said, laughing. He walked to the bridge, glowing with his success. He sat down in the pilot's chair and programmed the auto-pilot for Elara, in the Jupiterian cluster. He leaned back in the seat and sighed contentedly. This crew was his family. This ship was his home. As long as there was a sky above him, that would always be true.


End file.
